The Butterfly's Serenade
by o0whitelily0o
Summary: Naraku's dead, Kagome and Inuyasha are mates with a beautiful daughter. Likewise, Miroku and Sango have a young boy. But Inuyasha's daughter is home to a powerful magic, and there is an new evil out to harbor that power for himself.
1. New Beginnings

The battle that decided what all of their futures would be had ended little over a year ago. The battle had been one between Naraku and the Inu-yasha gang, and a harder one they had never had before. For two years they had been chasing after him, for two years they had been getting stronger and stronger. And at last, the day had come when they defeated Naraku.

It had been a hard battle, and in truth if it hadn't been for Miroku's Wind Tunnel, Naraku would have escaped yet again. As Kagome aimed her arrow at Naraku, he had tried to escape, despite the horrible wounds that had been delivered to him by the Tetsusaiga. It was only Miroku's Wind Tunnel that kept him from running away, as when he was caught up in the fierce winds, he fell. This time, when the arrow hit him, he was completely destroyed. Every single part of Naraku was gone forever.

There had been many endings like this to their battles with Naraku, all of them simply disappointments. But when they saw Miroku's Wind Tunnel was gone, they started to believe it was true. Even more so when they found the completed Shikon Jewel, purified by Kagome's arrow. So, at long last, they had killed Naraku.

"But now what?" Kagome asked herself as she was riding on her bike towards the village. Every now and then she went back to her own time, but since she was 18 and nearly out of high school, her time in the present was growing less and less. This was not how she figured everything would go for her once she killed Naraku, but for some reason she could hardly stand to stay outside the Feudal Era.

Her friends had been noticing that they only saw Kagome perhaps once a week, never on weekends, and occasionally more often when there was a major test coming up. Automatically, they figured that it was her no-good-crazy-jealous-two-timing-jerk of a boyfriend rubbing off on her. Their questions about her disappearances were few and far apart, always noticing that she was gone more and more, and grew used to it eventually.

Inu-yasha was waiting for her, as usual, in a tree right outside the village. Also, he found himself thinking. _Now we have the Shikon Jewel…what am I going to do with it? I could become a full demon, but…_

He flashbacked to the last time he became full demon… he had nearly murdered an entire village, not to mention all of his friends, or so he had been told. He couldn't remember anything that had happened while he was a full demon. Was that…what he wanted to become? No, he really didn't.

_I could become human, and stay with Kagome…_ He smiled a little as he thought about this, but then he wondered how would he protect her, for many demons were after the Shikon Jewel. And his brother still tried to fight him for the Tetsusaiga, which would become useless of he became human.

_I guess I should stay half-demon…_ And yet again, he found himself thinking about his full-demon form. If his temper got out of control, or if his life was in danger he would become **that **again, though since Naraku died he figured it wouldn't be that much of a problem. Not to mention the fact that he would live much longer then her, and would have to watch her die.

"Wait a minute!" Inu-yasha exclaimed, sitting straight up. "Could the Shikon Jewel give Kagome the lifespan of a demon?" This was an exciting thought, and for a minute he didn't even hear the very girl he was thinking about shouting up at him.

"Hey Inu-yasha!" Kagome shouted up at him, not really hearing what he was talking about. Then his head peeked over the side and he jumped down.

"Hey Kagome." Inu-yasha said, in a tone that was unfamiliar to Kagome, at least from Inu-yasha. She was almost immediately suspicious, and when Inu-yasha ran ahead while Kagome continued to ride on her bike only deepened these suspicions.

When Inu-yasha reached the village, he ran over to Kaede and immediately asked about the Shikon Jewel. "Can the Jewel increase a mortal's life span? To let them live as long as a demon?"

Kaede chuckled, knowing almost immediately what he meant. "O' course. As long as Lady Kagome continues to keep the Jewel close to her, she will live as long as any demon."

Inu-yasha blushed and said, in a tone that wasn't quite angry, but bordering on it, "Who ever said I was talking about Kagome?"

He said this just as Kagome reached Kaede's home and she was even more suspicious, and nervous. Though it really wasn't much of a secret any more that they liked each other, Kagome was always worried that he would decide to go back to Kikyo. The fear was irrational either, and as she walked into the hut, she wondered what the two were talking about. Kaede had a knowing smile on, and Inu-yasha was blushing furiously.

"Hello Lady Kaede." Kagome said as she entered.

"Greetings Lady Kagome. Are you staying for long?" Kagome smiled, but shook her head.

"No, Inu-yasha and I are going to go over and see Sango and Miroku." Their two friends had kept in really good touch with them since the defeat of Naraku, but none of them had gotten to see each other since they got married. Now, however, they finally had time to visit them.

"In that case, have a safe journey. Stop by here on your way back." Inu-yasha 'feh'd', but Kagome said they would and they headed out.


	2. Birth of a New Evil

**HELLO! So anyway, this is my first Inu-yasha FanFic. Ever. So don't yell at me for the not good-ness of it. Although, surprisingly, no one has yelled at me yet. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NOT YELLING! Glomps her reviewers**

**Disclaimer- I don't really need one of these, do I? It isn't like anyone on this site actually owns Inu-yasha…do they? Shifty eyes **

"So Inu-yasha, any idea where Sango and Miroku actually live?" Kagome asked, as she rode on Inu-yasha's back through the forest trail. After not seeing their friends for nearly eight months, Kagome was afraid that Inu-yasha might get lost.

"Of course I do! I'd know that monk's scent anywhere!" He responded, slightly annoyed. It was pretty hard to find the scent of those two, especially in a forest with all sorts of animal scents around. But it was there, and Inu-yasha knew he could find it. For a minute he was driven by scent alone, not even realizing where he was going until it was too late.

"Oof!" said a familiar voice as Inu-yasha ran into someone. "Watch where you're go- Oh, Inu-yasha! Kagome!" It was, in fact, Sango whom they had run into. Kagome got off of Inu-yasha, who got off of Sango.

"Hey there Sango! Long time no see!" Kagome said, feeling extra cheerful today.

"Hey Sango." Inu-yasha said, in his normal, vaguely grumpy attitude. But it seemed better today. At least now he gave Sango a half-smile instead of his usual scowl. "So where's Miroku?"

"He's back at home with Matsu, oh he'll be so happy you came to visit!" Sango was very happy from their surprise appearance.

"Matsu? Is that your whelp's name?" Inu-yasha asked, following Sango as she led them towards a small clearing. Once reaching it, they saw the place that Miroku and Sango chose to live. It was an average sized house, nothing fancy, next to a mini-waterfall, which _was_ fancy. Surrounding them were thick bushes, each with a decent amount of berries on them.

"Yes, that's his name. Miroku! Guess who came to visit us!" Sango said, picking up the pace as she approached the house.

"Hm? Who?" Miroku popped his head out the door, smiling in his usual optimistic way. Then his eyes widened in a happy and amazed way. "Oh! Inu-yasha! Lady Kagome! What a wonderful surprise! Please come in."

As they all went inside, Kagome asked, "This is a beautiful place to live! How'd you find it?"

Sango answered. "You see, after Miroku and I got married, he didn't want to live in a village. He said something about 'too many temptations." Miroku seemed to want to sigh at this point, but appeared to be restraining himself. "So we went out into the forest one day, hoping to find a clearing that wasn't too far out of the way for any messengers. We did want to keep in touch with you after all."

Miroku nodded, and added, "So after many different searches for such a place, we finally found this clearing. It seemed to be ideal, so this is where we built our home. Of course, Sango couldn't do anything too hard, since she was already carrying Matsu." As if his name woke him up, a baby boy started to cry, though not the sort of ear-piercing wail that you'd expect.

Quickly, Sango walked over to a crib and picked up the little boy. He had thick black hair, and eyes like Sango's. Hopefully he would grow up to be more like her then like his dad. Kagome awed over him, Sango tried to rock him back to sleep, Miroku smiled proudly at his son, and Inu-yasha gave him a half-smile. And for a minute, they were all at peace.

**That night, in another forest**

Kikyo wandered the twisting through the maze of trees and shrubbery. In one of her hands she was holding a small jar of ashes. She had gone up to the room where Naraku had been destroyed, and had taken all that was left of him, the ashes.

As she wandered through the woods, she found what she was looking for. There was a ring in the forest where no plant life had ever grown, where no living creature could ever pass. Yet, Kikyo, being undead, walked straight through the dead ring into a part of the forest that all the plants and trees were black, as if they were charred, but not burnt.

Carefully, so as not to spill them, Kikyo placed the jar of ashes on the ground, and chanted an ancient spell, the words in a language not known to any of the living. And as she chanted, the ashes flew slowly out of the pot and spread themselves so that they covered everything within the ring, even Kikyo. The chant was nearing completion, and slowly everything covered in the ashes was pulling together, as if forming some sort of monster. When the chant was completed, even Kikyo was absorbed by the creation. But it looked simply like a shadow beast, and it was small, no larger then a rabbit.

**_Need blood…need power…need food…_** The monstrosity that Kikyo created, using her own soul and body as the final ingredients, started to lurch away into the forest, and every blade of grass in its path died.

**All right, I finally finished the second chapter! Oh yeah, Kagome and Inu-yasha will have a kid in this story, and he/she is VERY important to the plot. But what I want to know is, should I do it quickly, like making the next chapter 6 years from now, when he/she's already born? Or should I first do a chapter with Kagome and Inu-yasha confessing to one another, then have the scene where he/she's born? Please answer in your review!**


	3. Revealing Dreams

Inu-yasha's Dream 

"Inu-yasha…" A familiar voice called out to the dog hanyou, and he looked around for its owner. It was dark and foggy, and there was no scent around, or rather, none except the damp scent of grave soil. A form appeared in the distance, and Inu-yasha ran towards it.

"Kikyo?" He asked, though as soon as he neared the figure he knew that it was she. Long ago he may have though for a moment that it was Kagome, but not with the scent of the grave clinging to her. Kikyo didn't move, she simply stood there, as he drew nearer and nearer, finally stopping right in front of her. She reached out towards him, and grabbed his arms gently.

"Inu-yasha…come with me…" Kikyo said as she drew him closer to her, and placed her hands on his shoulders. Suddenly, her fingernails dug into his robes, and she looked up at him with malice in her eyes…but something else was there as she finalized her plea. Longing, weariness, and a look that begged for forgiveness. "To _hell_…"

A pit opened up beneath Kikyo, a red glow faintly visible reaching up from the bottom. For a moment, Kikyo was suspended in mid-air before falling, still clutching pieces of his robes. But strangely, it only took Kikyo, and left Inu-yasha standing in the darkness and fog, alone except for the final thought that Kikyo sent him, _I'm so sorry…_

Kagome's Dream 

A noise in the trees…Kagome had to go check to see what it was. It couldn't be good, but she had to go see anyway. Call it morbid curiosity if you wanted, she still had to go. Running into the trees, the darkness of the forest overwhelmed her immediately.

Hm? A faint glow in the trees, an odd light that somehow seemed dark. As Kagome approached it, she saw that it was the form of the undead miko that radiated the darkened light. Kikyo was here…but what was she doing?

As if she could hear the thought, Kikyo turned towards Kagome and smiled. It was not the wicked smiled that Kagome had come to associate with Kikyo…just the sad and weary smile of an aged traveler who realizes that she lost everything by just leaving her front door.

Something bright shone out of Kikyo, unlike the dark light. This light formed a small ball and flew towards Kagome, entering her. Kagome felt warm, and like she finally retrieved something that she had lost for so long she forgot it used to be there. The last of Kagome's soul, which had for so long resided in Kikyo's body of clay and ashes, had finally returned.

Kikyo started to disappear, bit by bit, and as she did, Kagome could have sworn she said something to her as her body evaporated into dark light. _Please…forgive me…_

**That morning…**

Inu-yasha and Kagome awoke, both on the beds provided by Sango and Miroku, who were sitting outside by the waterfall. Kagome and Inu-yasha both had looks of sadness, and immediately they wanted to ask the other what was wrong. Their waking thoughts were the exact same ones as the other as well.

_Kikyo's dead…_

**Next chapter- Kagome and Inu-yasha discover that Miroku and Sango also knew of the death of Kikyo from their dreams. Inu-yasha wants to talk to Kagome about something…what could it be? Also, we find out where Kirara and Shippo went (well, maybe in the chapter after the next).**

**Thanks, my loyal reviewers, who helped make my decision on the confession thing. I was having a really hard time deciding.**


	4. Returns and Confessions

Inu-yasha and Kagome both awoke to the terrible realization that Kikyo, Inu-yasha's first love and Kagome's past incarnation, has died. Without saying a word to one another, the pair leave to go talk to Miroku and Sango, who were both sitting by the waterfall with a forlorn look on their faces. Inu-yasha and Kagome both walked out to sit by them.

"Good morning…from the looks on your faces, I believe your dreams also bore a message. The same ours did, I believe." Miroku said, his hand on Sango's shoulder, who was looking at the ground.

"Do you mean that you also dreamt that…Kikyo died?" Kagome asked to the other three, slightly shocked. But secretly, she knew that they would also know. For better or worse, Kikyo had left an imprint on their lives forever. Her being gone had a deep effect on all of them. They all nodded solemnly, and everyone was silent.

"WAGH!" Shippo suddenly came charging through the bushes, ridding a frantic looking Kirara. For a minute, Kagome wondered when he got away. Had he been gone the whole time? Inu-yasha looked confused as well. Miroku and Sango, however, were acting much more worried.

"Kirara! Where have you been? We've been so worried about you!" Sango scolded the cat demon, who turned back to her regular form and mewed.

Shippo looked more then a little put-off that no one seemed in a fuss over him, but said, "Well, two nights ago I was coming over to let you know that Inu-yasha and Kagome were coming to visit. But then Kirara woke up and turned big. Then she ran off, after grabbing me. Then she went off on her own a little. Last night, after I had an odd dream about Kikyo," he noticed that everyone's faces looked sad when he mentioned her, "Kirara came back and brought me here."

Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Inu-yasha all had a thoughtful look on their faces as they recapped everything that Shippo just said. It all seemed very odd, and it sounded like Kirara may have killed Kikyo. But Inu-yasha didn't smell Kikyo's blood on her, so it couldn't have been that. So he simply said, "Feh, what's the matter with you, running off on your own?" Then he may have muttered something like 'stupid whelp'… Also, the baby started to cry.

That broke the ice and everyone seemed more relaxed after this. Sango went inside to tend to Matsu, and after a moment's hesitation Miroku went after her. Kirara and Shippo left to go play together, leaving Inu-yasha and Kagome alone.

After a while, Inu-yasha murmured, "They sure look happy together…" Obviously, he was talking about Miroku and Sango. From a window, you could see Sango gently cradling the little boy, and Miroku had his arm around her waist, watching protectively over their son.

"Yeah, they must really love each other." Kagome said in a hushed tone. Inu-yasha looked odd, and he gazed at her for a moment before taking her hand in his.

"Kagome, there's something I want to talk to you about. Please come with me." He led her a little ways into the forest, her not resisting in the slightest. When they were far enough in, Inu-yasha took both of Kagome's hands in his. He got that look in his eye, the same one that Miroku used to get before asking a girl to bare his child.

"Kagome…this is really hard for me to say, but…" Immediately, Kagome assumed that he was going to tell her that he needed to get away from her. It would be too hard, she figured, for him to be constantly around someone who looked just like the woman he loved, who had now died.

"Maybe you shouldn't say it, then." Kagome responded, trying to get him to stop. She didn't want him to leave her; she wanted to always be next to him.

"I have to. Kagome…I love you." He managed to say, with some difficulty. For a moment, Kagome didn't say anything, her look totally blank. _Oh crap. I knew I shouldn't have told her. She must hate me now._ Inu-yasha thought that her silence meant that she didn't love him back, and started to pull away, embarrassed and ashamed of himself.

"Do-do you mean that?" Kagome asked before he got the chance to pull away completely. In truth, she had simply been in shock. Surely it must be a joke…how cruel of him to joke around like that!

"Of course I do, baka! Why else would I be out here making a fool of myself like this?" This made all of her doubts flee. If he could get this angry over something like this, he must be telling the truth. But then he softened, a sad look in his eyes, and said, "So, I guess that…you don't…"

"But, Inu-yasha…I do. I love you, too." Kagome said, starting to cry out of happiness. She had loved him for so long…and she thought that he did too. But now, it was the first time that he ever admitted it to her. Inu-yasha looked significantly happier, the saddened look gone from his eyes.

Slowly, he drew her close to him, and she stood on tiptoes to reach as they drew together for a kiss. That moment, when their lips touched, seemed to stay still for an eternity. It was deep and passionate, and neither one wanted it to end. When it did, they both looked at each other, smiling, and embraced once more.

In the bushes… 

"Finally! It took them long enough!" Sango whispered to Miroku.

"I'm glad that Inu-yasha managed to tell her, especially after Kikyo." He said, smiling.

For once, Shippo had something wise to say. "Maybe it's because of her death that Inu-yasha confessed."

Sango, Miroku, and even Kirara stared at him in awe. "I think you're right." Miroku said. "Now that Kikyo's gone, Inu-yasha doesn't have to worry about betraying one or the other. That's why he never told Kagome before. He didn't want to break her heart."

**Yup, here's the confession scene that you all wanted so badly. Next chapter- we go seven years into the future. The shadow demon has grown strong enough to try and claim the Shikon Jewel for himself. Also, Kagome and Inu-yasha have a child now. There will be a flashback to the day of the baby's birth, because it is REALLY important. Also, thanks, my trusty reviewers. I hope you enjoyed the confession chapter.**


	5. A Butterfly Messenger

Only nine months ago had Inu-yasha asked Kagome to be his mate. She accepted, and now here she was, bearing his child. He was not allowed to look in, it was forbidden by Kaede and the other midwives of the village. Sango, however, was allowed in. Must be a 'women only' rule, as Miroku had also been forbidden.

"Inu-yasha, you may enter now." Kaede appeared from the doorway, and beckoned the hanyou inside. It was very messy; the scent of blood was all over the hut, despite the fact that the midwives had cleaned most of it. Sango was wiping the sweat off of Kagome's forehead, as his mate held a small bundle of cloth. Hm? It moved slightly…was the baby in it? Inu-yasha knelt down next to her, as she smiled up at him wearily, but happily.

"Congrats, Inu-yasha. You're a daddy." They she held the bundle so that he could see what it contained. It was a sleeping little girl, with amber eyes and a little bit of silver hair. A golden butterfly, the largest Inu-yasha had ever seen, flew down and landed on the baby's forehead, not waking her.

"Tsk, that thing's been flying about the entire birth. 'Tis an omen." Kaede said as she and the other midwives continued to clean up, but Inu-yasha paid her no mind. He was looking down on his new daughter, and hugging his mate close to him.

"What should we name her?" He asked, in a slightly hushed tone. Sango and Miroku were standing above the new parents, smiling in a knowing way.

"How about…Kochou, for the butterfly." Kagome said, and Inu-yasha agreed.

Kagome, Inu-yasha, and Kochou, family for the first time.

**7 years later…**

Kochou had grown up to be the spitting image of her father. Her eyes stayed amber, her hair long and silver. She even had the same bangs that hung over her shoulder. Generally she wore a small red kimono, with a darker red obi. When her teeth started to come in, her canine were slightly pointed, and her nails were sharp.   
In personality, she was almost exactly the opposite. Gentle, almost timid, she acted very much like a butterfly. She was very fast, but not strong, and often flitted from place to place. Like her father, she didn't trust very many people, only her parents, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Matsu (Kirara, being a demon cat, didn't count). Not to mention she was a daydreamer, often found sitting and staring into space. Her name fit her better then she knew. 

Matsu grew to have black hair, like his dad, but it was still too short and wild to be pulled back. His eyes were a rich and warm brown like his mom. So far he hadn't shown any sign of being a pervert, but he did have a fiery spirit, like his mom. It seemed like he would grow up to be a lot like her. Normally, he wore loose, dark pants and white shirts that quickly became dirty. He liked to play with Kirara and Kochou, and sometimes Shippo (though he had grown a lot and acted more like a teenager).

Shippo was much bigger, almost as tall as Inu-yasha. His orange hair had become much more red, and longer. It was pulled into a ponytail with a simple green string, instead of a bow. He still loved to tease Inu-yasha, and his shape shifting had gotten much better as well. Often when become another human, his tail still showed.

The others hadn't changed much. Inu-yasha was very protective of his mate and daughter, but he had become more playful with them (not with anyone else, though). Kagome made an excellent mother, and she and Inu-yasha had a home right by Sango and Miroku's (it was on the other side of the pond the waterfall ended in). Sango's fire had not vanished or lessened, but she had settled down fairly easy. Miroku occasionally groped her, but not very often, and _never_ around Matsu.

"Daddy, can I go out and pick flowers with Kirara? I already asked Auntie Sango if I could borrow her." Kochou asked Inu-yasha as she started to head towards the door. He always said yes, the flower field was very close to their houses. He could easily hear her if something was wrong.

"Only if you promise to be back before dark." Her father responded as she agreed and headed out the door. This was always the same condition he gave her every time she wanted to go to the flower field. Sometimes he went with her if there was a scent of demon in the air, simply because he couldn't refuse his daughter. Today, however, it was a bright spring morning with no hint of demons anywhere near.

Kochou skipped over to Kirara, who was waiting outside in her big form. "C'mon Kirara, let's go!" She said happily, climbing onto the cat demon's back. Giving an approving growl, Kirara started to run in the direction of the flower field. Upon reaching it, Kochou gave a happy, "Kya!" and ran into the field. Kirara usually turned into her regular form and ran after her, but today she was content to lay in the sun, still in her big form, and look after

But unlike most days, an odd thing happened. A butterfly, large and golden, flew over to Kochou, landing on her outstretched finger, never even flinching when she drew it towards her.

"Hello pretty butterfly. What's your name?" She asked, off in her own world again as she looked at the butterfly with growing interest. She even thought that the butterfly was talking back to her.

_I am the messenger of Amaterasu, but I have no name._

"Then I'll name you! Your name can be…Taiyou!" Kochou said happily, and the butterfly almost seemed to nod.

_Very well, I am Taiyou, the messenger of Amaterasu, goddess of the sun._

Kochou's eyes widened and she smiled. "Wow! A goddess! You're the most amazing butterfly I've ever met!" Then she tilted her head a little. "But why are you here? Do you have a message or something for me?" This was an exciting thought.

_Yes, I do. Amatsu Mikaboshi, the god of evil, has sent his own pawn out into the world. My mistress believes that he wishes to take the Shikon Jewel. Pretty soon you will need to defend it, like your mother does right now._

Kochou was a little confused and upset by this, but continued to listen closely to Taiyou.

_But that is not all he wants. He wants the power you harbor in your soul, and he will use you as a weapon if he ever gets his hands on you. You must be strong when that happens, and don't let him use you. He will come after your friends and family, so you must protect them. Don't tell them about this, it would be too dangerous for them. And don't worry, I will be there if you ever need help._

The butterfly flew off the little girl's finger, flying towards the sun. After a moment of shock, Kochou ran back to Kirara, who was looking a little worried. Apparently, the talk had been longer then Kochou remember, for the sun was beginning to dip in the sky.

"Come on Kirara, we have to go now. I don't want Daddy to worry." She said, as she got back onto the cat demon, who paused for a moment before running back to home. Kochou remembered everything Taiyou told her, and looked worried as she hugged Kirara so she wouldn't fall off.

**Next Chapter- I don't have much of an idea what I want to do with the next chapter, but there will be some more information on Amatsu Mikaboshi's imp, and maybe something on Sesshomaru. To all my reviewers, you guys rock! Thanks for all your support! Finally, if I see anyone copying Kochou or my plot, I will bite your head off! Then I'll use Sesshomaru's Tensaiga, and do it until you stop using them!**


	6. Doubts and Questions

Far away, a shadow moved silently through the trees. It had grown greatly in the last seven years. When before it was the size of a rabbit, it was closer now to the size of a lion. It had shadow-black scales that seemed almost to fade to fur as it reached the legs and tail. It appeared to have the form of a giant rat, but as it flitted from shadow to shadow it was near impossible to tell.

This creature, this imp of shadows, had been slowly gaining power ever since Kikyo summoned it. He did not know why the undead priestess would summon him, especially since she knew that the cost was her very life. He dashed through the darkness as he wondered, thinking about what he knew.

He, himself, was called Kage, the shadow imp. Many millennia ago, he was born from the shadow of Amatsu Mikaboshi, and had been sent down to earth to wreck havoc. But a powerful group of priests and priestesses sealed him back into the underworld, supposedly for all of eternity. Then Kikyo…for some reason she unlocked him from his prison. Why?

Growling, he ran faster into the darkness, where he would absorb power from the shadows and grow stronger. He needed to be in order to steal the young girl away from her family, the one blessed by the butterfly. Snickering, he figured that she hadn't even begun to find her true power; the one that can turn darkness into light, black into color, death into life, the only power that could destroy him.

Now he was practically flying, feet barely touching the ground as he ran through the darkness. He and the child would meet each other soon enough…

**Somewhere else… (A/N: What do you want from me! It's half-past midnight!)**

Sesshomaru was waiting for someone as she went to go take a bath. He didn't seem annoyed at all at the fact that he had to wait out in the forest for about half an hour while he protected a young woman to clean herself in the local hot springs. It gave him time to think, mostly about what he had been thinking about for about a year or two now…

"Lord Sesshomaru, I am finished and ready to go back now." A girl in her mid-teens, said, her voice still a little like a child's. Her brown eyes were bright and cheerful, straight black hair still wet. It was Rin, the little girl that Sesshomaru had saved, older by seven years. She wore a simple orange kimono; similar to the one she wore as a little girl.

"Very well, let's go." He said, nodding slightly. For the past two years, he had been having odd thoughts about Rin. Most of them had her smiling and laughing with him. What were these feelings? He could never have any tenderness towards a human…

_So why did you return her to life?_

An intruder thought entered his mind, almost making him blush. But not quite, he couldn't let on what he was thinking about. Although that question was a good one, one his answer had long been denied. He would never admit that he liked this girl, even as a friend. He tried to convince himself that Rin was like Jaken. But no, that was the worst lie of them all. Perhaps he saved her, let her come with him, and protected her no matter what, all because he…

"My Lord Sesshomaru! Welcome back!" Jaken cheered as he ran towards his master. He wasn't allowed to go with the pair when Rin needed to wash.

Secretly, Sesshomaru was glad that Jaken had interrupted his thoughts. The answer to the question danced away from him, and he was glad. He didn't notice that Rin was looking at him oddly. He may not have noticed, but he had had a look on him that was confused, troubled even. Rin was worried, but didn't ask him, since he seemed better once Jaken broke his train of thought.

_What was he thinking about?_ Rin thought to herself, not letting the pained curiosity show on her face.

Back at the ranch… 

"Kochou-chan, why have you been acting so odd lately?" Matsu asked his friend, who was even jumpier then usual. They were out by the waterfall, just sitting and relaxing with Kirara between them.

"I'm fine, Matsu-chan, everything's fine." The little girl gave him a clearly false smile.

"I don't believe you. Something's wrong, you've been acting like something's after you for ages. Why don't you just tell me what's wrong?" He got a hurt look on his face, and pouted a little.

Kochou groaned, "Don't give me that look, you know I can't stand it. Just trust me, I would tell you if I could."

"Of course I trust you, Kochou-chan. It's you who doesn't trust me." Matsu pulled his knees to under his chin and he hugged his legs closer to him.

"I trust you more then anyone else. You're my best friend, after all. I just…I can't tell anyone."

"Why not?"

"I just can't! Now leave me alone!" Kochou shouted, getting up and storming off towards her house. _Stupid Matsu, why can't he mind his own business?_ Sighing and looking up at the sky, she wished that she could tell Matsu, at least. Her parents or his would probably want to go off and kill Amatsu Mikaboshi's imp, and they would fail. But Matsu was small like her; he would probably understand and not do anything like that.

And it was hard to keep a secret to herself.

**That's right, everyone's favorite Fluffy is back! Yeah, I like Rin/Sess pairings almost as much as Kag/Inu pairings. Also, I apologize for not getting on very often lately. It wasn't completely my fault! Oh yeah, I have another 'Reviewer's Choice' for what I should do on the next chapter. Should I do a chapter more about Matsu and Kochou, or should I work on Sesshomaru and Rin? I will do both, but I don't know which I should do first.**

**Also, after tonight it will be harder for me to update, because school is starting again. My loyal readers, thanks for all your support! Please try to bear with me.**


	7. Secrets Revealed

A new day, but the sky was dark and gray, the wind blowing fiercely. Kochou was home by herself, which, while not unheard of, was very odd. Her parents were out gathering food: Inu-yasha was hunting, and Kagome was gathering. It was the same with Matsu's parents. Normally this wasn't a problem, but it was so scary out, Kochou didn't want to be alone anymore.

"Hey Matsu-chan? Can I stay with you until Momma and Poppa get back?" Kochou asked, opening her friend's door. Inside was Matsu, a little Kirara in his lap. He was practicing reading one of those strange scrolls that Kagome brought back from her time. Usually she only visited once a year now, and only to bring back those scrolls (Kagome called them 'books', right?) and little toys.

"Sure, Kochou-chan. If you want, I'll read to you." Matsu was quite good at reading, but Kochou needed a lot more practice.

"Thank you very much." She said, smiling and walking towards him. Suddenly, the wind picked up, howling and thrashing outside. Matsu screamed, and clutched Kirara.

"Matsu-chan, what's the matter?" Kochou asked, as Matsu shivered and the wind howled.

"N-nothing, I-I'm fine." He said, glancing around nervously.

"You can tell me, I'll understand." She tried to comfort him, and sat down next to him.

"I-I-I…" Matsu stammered, then caught Kochou in the eye. It seemed to relax him, and she smiled gently. Gulping, he said, "I'm scared of loud winds…"

"Really?" Kochou said, but not cruelly. Kagome had told her the story of Miroku's Wind Tunnel, and it seemed to her that it was perfectly logical that Matsu was scared of loud winds.

"Y-yeah…I'm scared that they're going to blow me away…or suck me up." He shivered again and clutch Kirara closer, who mewed and licked his cheek.

"Don't worry, that would never happen." Kochou tried to reassure him.

"Are you sure?" Matsu said nervously.

"Of course! No wind is that strong. Plus, if it ever did happen, Kirara and I could come and help you." Kochou said, which seemed to reassure him most of all.

"Promise?"

"I promise!" Kochou said, and the two smiled, but Kochou felt a little guilty. Matsu had opened up to her, but she still kept this secret from him, about the butterfly and the imp.

"Matsu-chan, can you keep a secret?" She whispered, and Matsu was startled, and told her that he would. So Kochou told him everything the butterfly told her, and watched as his eyes grew wider and wider. Kirara also listened intently, tails flicking back and forth.

"Wow Kochou-chan…I had no idea. Should we tell our parents?"

"No, you can't tell anyone else. I want it to be out secret, please?" Kochou looked at him with such a pleading look, that he had to agree.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise. How 'bout you Kirara, can you keep the secret, too?" Kirara mewed in consent and the pair laughed.

_Next chapter- Some Rin and Sesshomaru fluffies, and maybe a confession? Maybe. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! See ya next time!_


	8. By Moonlight and Fire

Sesshomaru was wandering his castle's hallways, examining how the walls were holding up. There had been rumors of some of the stones crumbling, and he needed to make sure that rumors were all they were. Suddenly, his nose twitched as he scented something most peculiar. It was coming from Rin's room, but it was unlike anything he had ever smelt. Heading towards Rin's room, though not in any particular hurry, Sesshomaru felt tension rising in his gut.

"Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, as he gently opened the door to her chambers. Odd, no sign of her, usually she was in around this time. Looking out the balcony he gazed at the silver moon. It was a crescent tonight, identical to the marking on his forehead. But that was of no matter. What did matter was that he couldn't find Rin. After a thorough investigation of her room, he still couldn't find her, only the cloyingly bittersweet sweet scent that hung heavy in the air.

"What is the meaning of this?" The dog youkai demanded as he ran from room to room, finding no scent of Rin anywhere, or that strange scent. There was only one explanation, he decided, running back to Rin's room. Someone must have left with her out the balcony. Racing back through the halls, letting dozens of doors fly by, he finally reached the one covered to the last in the sickening scent.

Rushing onto the balcony, he found the sweet scent on the breeze and jumped after it. It didn't bother him that he was about 6 stories in the air. Such things never bothered a demon such as himself. He ran across the treetops, chasing after the scent, never once faltering in his step, so great was his determination.

"I will find you Rin, where ever you are…" He muttered as he dashed after the scent.

At the local creepy mountain cave… 

"W-why are you doing this to me?" Rin stammered, looking around herself. She was stuck in a cage-like thing, and was guarded by a hungry looking gargoyle. It has a sickly gray hue to its hide, and in most aspects it looked like a kind of horned monkey. There was a small stone slab in a corner, with odd oil that was cloyingly bittersweet inside it.

"Because, my pretty, tonight is the night of the waxing crescent moon. I must eat a pure maiden in order to retain my immortality. It is simply bad luck that you were the first one I came across." The creature grinned, revealing two rows of yellowing, but still sharp, teeth. "When the moon is in the correct position, I will devour you."

Rin shrunk away, to the farthest corner of the cage, terrified. Looking up at the moon, which reminded her so much of Lord Sesshomaru, she regained her old childish belief that, no matter what, Lord Sesshomaru will come and save her. Her relaxed position, and slight smile unnerved the gargoyle, and he turned towards the cave entrance. None would interfere tonight.

None, perhaps, expect the Lord of the Western Lands. Just as the gargoyle had turned back to Rin, the dog youkai leaped into the cave entrance, hand already on the Toujikin. (I think that's the name of his sword…)

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried out, in happiness but not surprise. The gargoyle turned around fiercely, snarling at the uninvited guest.

"Leave now, before I devour you too."

"Oh is that so? I would like to see you try." Sesshomaru smirked slightly, and Rin knew that now was the time to look away. This would get messy.

Approximately 30 seconds later… 

The growls, sword slashes, and cries of pain had all ended, so Rin decided to look back. Well, it certainly wasn't a pretty sight, but it was quite obvious that the gargoyle was dead. Sesshomaru used the Toujikin and destroyed the cage. Rin got out, carefully stepping around the blood that had splattered onto the ground.

"Come along Rin, I'll carry you back to the castle." Her lord said, and she let him pick her up bridal style. As they returned to the castle, Rin looked up at Sesshomaru, the silver moon hitting his long, beautiful hair and lighting it with a white fire. In that instant, he was perfect. She would remember that moment for the rest of her life, and would know that that was the moment that she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she loved Sesshomaru. It was not the childish crush that she had had on him so many years ago. It was far different from that, a true love bloomed in her heart, and she smiled softly.

They reached the castle, Rin's balcony in fact. Sesshomaru gently placed her onto her bed, and started to make his leave. But as he started to walk out the door, he turned around and saw Rin, walking towards the balcony, looking radiant in the glowing lights of the torches that were always kept lit until the room's resident chose to sleep. Her dark hair looked golden-brown, and her cheeks were a healthy red. But mostly it was her eyes that made his realize, the dancing flames reflected in her brown eyes.

He waited not a moment longer. Without any hesitation or forethought, he returned to Rin, and turning her towards him, he locked her in a kiss. It was a slightly rough kiss; exactly the kind one would think would come from Sesshomaru. Rin was, for a moment, startled beyond resisting, but then relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

There was nothing more to say between them, all doubts of each other's feelings vanished and for one moment, they were lost in their own world, the only thought running through their minds was of pure love and bliss. That was all there was to it.

The next few years passed relatively uneventfully between the couple, as well as the rest of the characters in the story. Kochou grew to realize just what sort of power she hoarded, Matsu started to realize how he felt about Kochou, Rin and Sesshomaru became mates; but most importantly, for a very long time, Sesshomaru's feelings for Rin overpowered all others. He was completely devoid of hatred, and found it impossible to go on fighting with Inu-yasha. The two, after much talking, finally made up, or as much as they ever would. It seemed like nothing could go wrong with the family now, or their friends.

But in the darkness, there was always lurking a creature of shadows. A creature with a rat face, and scaled legs, a creature that spent the entire time gaining power, and waiting for its chance. While the rest of the characters lived in peace for so long, the shadow imp spent the time killing and gaining power. And it waited for its chance.

**Next chapter- We jump further into the future, when Kochou and Matsu are in their mid-teens. The shadow imp is nearly strong enough to fight Kochou, and it is time for Amaterasu's messenger to train the hanyou and help her hone her powers.**


End file.
